Shakespeare, Canterbury

Another of Canterbury's pubs that has been in existence before there were pubs. This one is a Shepherd Neame pub with four hand pumps facing as we walk in from the street, but both the Bishops Finger and Whitstable Bay were "coming soon" - exactly the same as at the Old City Bar earlier. The Master Brew was a little better than at that pub, but not good enough to make me a convert. I remember drinking Shep's beers in the late 70s and being really impressed, but since then they have changed and so have I. The incongruity of this very, very old pub and the very, very modern music being pumped out is doing my head in.

Modernised pub in a historic building off a narrow lane that's almost an alleyway. Must once have had a lot of character, although much of the building's fabric remains so the various seating / dining area are still small. Also has a linked wine bar across a small rear courtyard. As a Shepherd Neame house, I found Master Brew (£4.50) and Spitfire from two of the four handpumps.